Everyone wants to have a better life. However, many have no idea on how to achieve that. This is because there is no single recipe for success. Each one of us has a different definition on what a successful life truly is all about. There may not be one generic step-by-step guide towards success but there is one tool that we can all use as a starting point. That is a personal SWOT Analysis. Here is a guide to your personal SWOT Analysis.
What is A Personal SWOT Analysis?
A Personal SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning technique used to evaluate a person’s condition in life. It is an important assessment tool to help an individual on how to proceed in life. It is only possible to move forward if you totally understand where you are right now. In other words, it is a kind of situational assessment of the present. Contrary to popular belief, it is not just useful for business or analyzing your career goals but rather it is a very useful tool that you can use in all dimensions of your life.
This tool is actually a matrix of both the internal and external aspects of your life. Internal aspects pertain to your strengths and weaknesses while the external factors include the opportunities and threats in your surroundings. Here are some questions that you can ask yourself to determine your personal SWOT.
Strengths
- What are you good at?
- How can you differentiate yourself from your peers?
- What are things that you enjoy doing?
Weaknesses
- What are your bad habits?
- Are there any skills or knowledge that you think you lack?
- What are the things that people complain most about you?
Opportunities
- How can your network help you with your goals?
- Are there any training courses or mentoring opportunities that you can take advantage of?
- Is there a need in your company or industry that no one else is fulfilling?
Threats
- Is there a strong competition to the skill that you are good at?
- Is the environment around you changing in such a way that can hurt you personally or professionally?
- What is the biggest external threat to your goals?
By listing down your strengths, you will be able to see your advantages compared to your peers. At the same time, your weaknesses will give you an idea on what aspects of your life you need to improve on. The opportunities are actually chances that you can take in your life right now to help you achieve your goals while recognizing the threats early on can give you an opportunity to build a defensive plan or a crisis management plan for negative unforeseen events.
The key here is honesty. If you are still unsure on how to proceed, it is best to consult people around you. It will also help if you have already done a personal assessment of your current level of wellness. You can use both your strengths and the opportunities in your life to conquer your personal weaknesses and possible threats that will come your way.
But remember, this will only be effective if you have a clearly-defined goal. To live a balanced life is supposedly the ultimate goal of each one. In order to achieve this, your goal should be to strengthen the specific aspect of your life that is weighing you down, whether it is physical, social, financial, intellectual, spiritual, environmental, occupational or emotional. Then use the personal SWOT as a guide to address it.
Good luck!
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